Has it really been nearly three years since we last heard from American Idol finalist James Durbin? Not exactly. Whether it be fronting Stryper adjacent supergroup Cleanbreak or guesting with Alan Parsons, Frontiers has kept the vocal phenomenon busy these past few years; so busy that one might have forgotten his debut album under the Durbin moniker, The Beast Awakens. I am still of the persuasion that this is one of the finest traditional metal albums of the ’20s thus far, and one of the best Frontiers releases ever. Yes, you read that last sentence correctly.
Taking this all into consideration, the bar for a follow up was set rather high. There was also the question of where Durbin would go with his “Prince of Metal” storyline. For all purposes, this was destined to be a multi-album saga, chronicling the trials and tribulations of Durbin’s superhero alter ego. While we’re going to have to wait a little longer to find out the Prince’s fate, what we don’t have to wait for is new Durbin music. The singer/band has come screaming back with a new album and new lineup in their aptly titled sophomore affair, Screaming Steel.
Whereas The Beast Awakens leaned heavily on lyrical and musical tropes associated with power metal (Durbin himself is a huge Blind Guardian fan), Screaming Steel is more a straightforward ’80s metal affair, and a damn strong one at that. While you’re bound to hear a hint of Priest here and Maiden there, at no point do the songs come off as a cheap rehash of what once was. Durbin and his band deliver the goods with power and integrity, paying homage to the traditional metal sound, while also adding their own unique twist.
What stands out the most about Screaming Steel to my ear, besides Durbin’s supersonic vocals, are the undeniable hooks and melodies throughout. Yes, I’m aware that being a predominantly AOR/hard rock label, this comes with the territory of a Frontiers release. However, Screaming Steel approaches this in a way that’s still distinctly metal. Cuts like “Where They Stand”, “Power of the Reaper”, and “Blazing High” sound like throwbacks to Dokken and Grim Reaper, so subtly towing the line between hooks and heaviness. Meanwhile, “Made of Metal” and the title track go full blown Priest mode, while “The Worshipper 1897” continues the Dio era Sabbath power doom devastation, which we first heard on The Beast Awakens.
As the euro power metal-esque “Rebirth” brings this outing to a blistering close, one can’t help but think that maybe in hindsight, Durbin was the true winner of American Idol‘s tenth season. Let’s say he did reach the top spot and win that coveted record deal. Do you really think the major label overlords would let him crank out no frills retro metal like this, or rather would they have him sing over some tepid Nickelbackian post-grunge? I’m guessing the latter. I proudly raise my horns to Durbin for killing it yet again, and Frontiers for giving him the outlet to do so. Long reign the Prince of Metal!
8 out of 10
Label: Frontiers Records
Genre: Heavy Metal
For fans of: Judas Priest, Dokken, Grim Reaper